1949 Nash Airflyte 600 Series 40

The 1949 Nash 600 was the company's first totally new postwar car. The styling was the work of Nils E. Wahlberg, Nash's vice president of engineering. Its aerodynamic shape was perfected in a wind tunnel and featured a rounded body, open-piece curved windshield, and signature enclosed fenders. On a single tank of fuel, it could be driven 500 miles and achieve 25 mpg. They were built using a unitized single-unit construction method which earned them the title of being the first United States manufacturer to mass-produce automobiles using this technique. The interior had a 'Uniscope' gauge cluster with all the instruments contained in a single pod resting above the steering column.

The 1949 Nash 600 line consisted of three trim levels including the Super Special, Super, and Custom line. All three included a brougham and a four-door sedan. The Super lines also had a 2-door special. The Custom Line was the most exclusive offering with just 17 examples of the Brougham and 199 of the sedan. The Super line accounted for 51,154 sales with the 4-door sedan accounting for 31,194 of those sales. The Super Special line found 35,775 buyers.

Power was courtesy of an L-head 172.6 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine delivering 82 horsepower. A three-speed manual gearbox was standard and hydraulic drum brakes were located in the front and back.

by Dan Vaughan

Super Sedan
Chassis number: K280520
Engine number: S25067

This original owner of this Airflyte 600 Sedan was Lawrence Henderson of Grafton, West Virginia who purchased it on February 2dn of 1949. Since that time, it has been driven just over 5,600 miles. It remained in Mr. Henderson's care until his death in 1984. It was left to his nephew, who cared for it through 2005 before sending it to its third owner.

This sedan is finished in black paint with original gray wool upholstery. There is a Unsicope dash, and a rubber floor mat. The car rides on its original Goodyear Super Cushion tires. It has its delivery tags, early registrations, service manual, advertisements, jack, lug wrench, and original spare. The engine is a 174 cubic-inch L-head 6-cylinder engine fitted with a single Carter 1-barrel Downdraft carburetor delivering 82 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

The Nash 600 was produced from 1940 through 1942, and began after World War II, from 1946 through 1949. It was priced as the entry-level Nash vehicle with the name '600' representing the number of miles the vehicle could travel on one tank of gasoline. The Nash 600 was also the first mass-produced unibody construction car built in the United States. In this guise, the car body and the frame are welded as one unit, instead of the traditional body-on-frame construction method.

Power was from a 172.6 cubic-inches L-head straight-six engine that offered just over 80 horsepower. The 600 had a three-speed manual gearbox with electric overdrive along with coil springs at all four corners.

Production resumed in the fall of 1945. These were similar to the models produced prior to War with the exception of revised chrome trim and a projecting center section on the lower grille. For 1946, the 600 the company offered an option that allowed the rear seat to be converted into a bed. For 1947, the front grille was widened and new raised center hubcaps were installed on the wheels. For 1948, the chrome molding located below the beltline was removed. The interior bore the work of Helene Rother, Nash's new interior stylist. Changes were made to the upholstery and trim colors that harmonized with specific exterior colors. A Business Coupe joined the lineup and was the lowest-priced model with minimal features, and was devoid of a rear seat.

For 1949, Nash introduced its first new redesign in the Post War era. The design was based on the aerodynamic Airflyte series that was developed by Nils E. Wahlberg, Nash's Vice President of Engineering. The cars were six inches lower than the 1948s with a more rounded body with enclosed fenders.

by Dan Vaughan